This question of steel or aluminum has haunted me since I did my side panels. Aluminum rivets will not be compatible in the steel subframe. Steel rivets will not be compatible with the aluminum panels. Byler Rivet sent me Steel

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1989 MCI-102 A3DD 6V92 Turbo, AlisonTons of stuff to learn!Started in Cheboygan, Michigan (near the Mackinaw Bridge). Now home is anywhere we parkhttp://dave-amy.com/

This question of steel or aluminum has haunted me since I did my side panels. Aluminum rivets will not be compatible in the steel subframe. Steel rivets will not be compatible with the aluminum panels. Byler Rivet sent me Steel

I am a bit curious now, I know the interior panels rivets are aluminium but I don't remember abou the exterior. When I'm home I'll pop one out and check.

with aluminium and steel, aluminium corrodes preferentially. Steel rivet will corrode the aluminium skin, aluminium rivets will kind of loosen up in the steel structure. It can take a really long time - I have a 32 year old race car in my shop with aluminium tub riveted to a steel subframe and it looks like new... I personally prefer aluminium rivets in stainless or mild steel. Using a really good paint or even double-sided tape between the steel and the aluminium sheet works really well.

I rivetted aluminum to steel frame and as Brian suggested I used the sticky mastic that comes in a roll. I am assuming you are going to use pop rivets. IF this is on a upper wall (house or living enclosed area) I would recommend the closed rivets. Some places refer to these as blind rivets. One day when I was working on the outside I had to go inside to get a tool. While walking past the sheet I had just rivetted I could see daylight though the center of a rivet. I think what happens is when the pop rivet breaks it is with such force that the head of the rivet flys back and goes right out the back end. I was able to go over each rivet from the inside with a silcone gun . But after this i switched to closed rivets. It is amasing how much water can get though a small hole. Don't want water inside living wall area. If this is on a bay door Either type should be fine. This is only my personal choice. Larry B

Byler sells a closed head rivet made for repairing airstream trailers. I think maybe called bulbtite. These are not pop rivets but rather expanding back style and have to be trimmed after pulling. Look like driven rivets after trimming with the proper tool! John L